Modern dental care facilities usually include multiple operatories and a central vacuum system. Dental aspirator tips are provided at each operatory for disposition in the patient's mouth to remove aerosols, liquids, solid debris, and odors from the patient's mouth. Typical conventional dental vacuum systems have been far from ideal from the standpoints of noise output, vacuum intensity and flow rate charateristics, efficiency, and reliability. Typical commercially available dental vacuum systems include water ring or turbine vacuum pumps, and a back-up pump is normally specified because of the known unreliability of such pumps.
According to the present invention a dental vacuum system is provided that overcomes most of the drawbacks associated with conventional commercially marketed systems. The system according to the present invention has little noise, excellent efficiency, and ideal vacuum intensity and flow rate characteristics. The system also has excellent reliability and is easy to install and utilize in a central facility serving a number of dental operatories.
The system according to the invention includes a vacuum reservoir operatively connected to a rotary vane vacuum pump. The rotary vane vacuum pump, in the system combination, provides an effective vacuum intensity within a desirable range, irrespective of the practical number of operatories connected thereto. Additionally, the pump in the system of the invention may be operated by a small motor, such as a one horsepower electrical motor, yet it can effectively serve the same number of operatories served by a much larger power source in conventional dental vacuum facilities. The pump is preferably continuously lubricated utilizing an oil reservoir directly mounted thereon, and the pump and the motor are mounted on a common small platform in side-by-side relationship. A V-belt interconnects pulleys of the pump and motor to provide force transmission therebetween and elastomeric material feet are provided on the platform to facilitate desired noise control.
The vacuum reservoir, which is operatively connected to dental aspirator tips in a plurality of dental operatives, preferably comprises a cylindrical tank with a drain valve means, such as a rubber flap valve, disposed at the bottom thereof. A support and drain assembly provides for the ready connection of the vacuum reservoir to a drain. The support and drain assembly include a cylindrical support having a first end interior diameter slightly larger than the exterior diameter of the vacuum tank, with abutment portions of the tank and support and drain assembly operatively engaging to limit the penetration of the tank into the support and drain assembly. A false bottom is provided in the support and drain assembly immediately below the rubber flap valve, and a drain pipe extends from an opening formed in a center lowpoint of the false bottom through a side wall of the support and drain assembly, the drain pipe being readily connectable to the dental office's sewer system. The second end of the support and drain assembly supports the vacuum tank on a horizontal surface in a generally upright position.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an efficient and effective dental vacuum system. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.